Arc-lamp regulation for headlights.



R. P. DEARDORFF.

. ARC LAMP REGULATION FOR HEADLIGHTS.

APPLICATION mzu use. 2. isla. 1 68,548, Patented June 4, 1918.

3 SHEETSSHEET I.

R; P. DEARDORFF. ARC LAMP REGULATION FOR HEADLIGHTS.

APPLICATION FILED DEC- 2, 9'3. v 1 ,268,548. Patented J une 4, 1918.

a SHEETS-88in 2.

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n. P. DEARDORFF.

ARC LAMP REGULATION FOR HEADLIGHTS. APPIICATION FILED DEC-2.1913.

Patented June 4, 1918.

3 SHEETSSHEET 3.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 4, 1918.

Application Med December 3, 1918. Serial in. 804,888.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RA! P. Dnennonrr,

a citizen of the United States, residing at 'Bufialo, Erie county, New York, have 1n-' vented certain new and useful Im rovements in Arc-Lamp Regulations for eadlights, of which'th'e following is a specificaturned on and afford a tion.

This invention relates tov arc lamps generally, and more particularly to an arc lamp that is suitable for use on locomotives or other. vehicles. where-an arc headlight is desired.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide the arc lamp with a novel automatic regulating. mechanism which will maintain the electrodes in a redetermined position at all times. when. t e current is replaced without otherwise disassembling the headlight.

Another object of the invention is to pro-' vide a novel mechanism for automatically feeding the electrodes as they waste away and ,as the voltage between the electrodes increases.

'Anoth object of the invention is to provide'an electric motor for driving the are feeding mechanism, the said electric motor beingprovided with a differentially wound V field coil and asuitable stop device to prevent its rotation in an improperdirection,

The above, and other. objects and the novel features of the invention will be ap-' parent from the following description,

' 'takenin connection with the drawings, n

Figure 1 is -a side elevation of the are broken away.

2 is a p an view of the same, the

reflector being shown in section. I

Fig. 3 is a rear-elevation of the same.

Fig. '1 is a detail sectional view on the line H'of Fig. 2, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. -5 is a diagram of the connections.

, 11 and 12, which'are very close regulation posite ends and above the 29 and Fig. 6 is a detail sectional view, substan- 10 designates a suitable base of insulating material such as wood or the like upon which the arc lamp is mounted. At opposite ends of the base I provide the brackets ermanently secured to the base 10. Each oi the brackets Hand 12 extends across the base and is fivided at its ends with bearings 13. The rings in the correspondin ends of the brackets 11 and 12 carry ro s 14 and 15 which are parallel to each other. and ette'nd longitudinally-of the base. Yokes 16 and 17 are apertured to receive the ends of the rods 14 and 15 beyond the brackets 11 and 12. The rods 14 and 15 are circular in cross section, and the yokes 1.6'and 17 slidably fit the ends thereof, having. the downwardl extending portions 18 at opposite on s which are bored to receive the rods 14 and 15. v 4

The yokes 16 and 17 are provided at oprojections 18 with lugs 19 which are dril ed to receive the oppositeends of theguide rods 20 and 21, which are secured in the recesses in the lugs 19. The guiderods 20 and 21 are disposed directly over and parallelto the rods 14 and 15, and to ther with the yokes '16 and 17 form a rigi slidable' frame carryin the arc apparatus, since the yokes 16 an 17 are longitudinally slidable for a slight disance'at "the outer ends of the'rods 14 an 15'.

The positive carbon electrode22 is supported in a clamp 23 adjustable by means of the thumb screw 24 and formed integral with the standard 25. The base 26 of the:

standard 25 is secured to a yoke 27 'and suitably insulated therefrom by other suitable insulation. Extendmg latfrom the yoke 27 there are two'arms 30, the arm 29 being formed with an elongated cylindrical portion 31, which embraces the rod 21 and is guided thereby.

erally The arm 30 is forked at its end and the forked portion contacts with the upper and lower edge of the circular V dc rod 20. Formed integral with the un er side of the plate 27 is a thr aded nut, 32 which a adaptthe mica 28 or ed to receive and engage the threads 33 of a knurled locking nut '37. The carbon holder 36 is sli'dably' supported in a sleeve 38 formed integral with and at the upper end of the siipporting standard 39. The carbon holder 36 extends through the sleeve 38,

and all-shaped armature 40.is rigidly secured to the rear end thereof. A leaf spring 41 secured at its lower end and mounted on the supporting standard 39 has the upper end thereof pressing against the rear end of the carbon holder 36 and armature'40, yieldingly keeping the carbon holder 36, armature40,-and electrode atthe extreme position of their-forward and outward move-- ments. The armature 40 constitutes the armature for the bipolar starting magnet comprising the coil 42Ta'nd 43 secured to the cross bar 44 which isattached to a ledge 45 on the supporting standard '39. The spring 41 isseoured to said cross bar 44 by the screw 411. The coils 42 and 43 are wound onthe cores 421 and 431 respectively, the

said cores extending upwardly beyond the coils and having adjustable faces 42 2 and 432, respectively dlsposed opposite the lower ends of the U-shaped armature 40.- When the current is turned on to the arclamp the coils42 and 43 are simultaneously energized and being substantially of the same'strength .will pull the armature 40 and carbon holders' 36 with the carbon 35 attached thereto and strike the are between the carbon electrodes .22 and 35. 1 i

.The supporting standard39is secured at its base 46' to a yoke 47, being'insulated from thelattefby. the insulation 48. The yoke 47 is 'v'substantia'lly similar, to'the yoke 27 on which the standard 25 is mounted. However the cylindrical portion 49 of the yoke 47 K ts the guide rod 20, whereas the forked arm 50 thereof fits the guide rod 21. This arrangement {is} simply the reverse of the arrangement of the. arms of the yoke 27 so as tosecure a 'more perfect'alinement of the electrodes." 'The yoke 47-is also provided with-an internally threaded integral nut 51 on its-y,under side,' the nut 51 being threaded to'ltake; the threads 52 atthe leftend of" the feed screw. 34'. The threadsf-33. are right" hand'threadsand are formed twelve to the inch, while. the threads 52- are vleft hand threads and formed fourteen threads, to the inch. Consequently, the rotation of the feed screw 34 will move the standards 25 and 39,

and the electrodes 22 and 35 carried thereby toward each other. The positiveelectrode 22 which wastes away the more rapidly will, therefore, be fed and move more rapidly than the negative electrode 35.

The feed screw 34 is journaled at one end in a boss 54 at the longitudinal center of the yoke 17, and has a Wheel 55 secured at the outer end thereof by means of the set screw 56. The Wheel 55 has a series of ratchet teeth 57 on its periphery, which ratchet teeth are adapted to be engaged by a pawl58 pivotally mounted at the" outer end of a connecting rod 59. The awl 58 and the connecting rod 59 are pivotally connected together by means of the screw 581 which has threaded engagement with the upper end vof a plate 582loosely supported on a smooth portion of the operating screw 34 and at the inner side of the wheel 55. The opposite end of the connecting rod 59 is provided with a strap 60 which fits an eccentric 61 formed integral with one side of the gear wheel 62. The gear wheel 62 is a loose ymounted on a stub shaft 63 formed at the lower end of a bracket 64 secured to the motor frame 65. v The outer end of the shaft 63 is screw threaded to receivethe'keeper plate 641 having internal threads and arranged to maintain the eccentric strap 60 on the connecting rod 59 in proper relation to the eccentric 61 on the gear wheel 62. A laterally extending part 66 of the yoke 12 forms a platform for supporting an electric motor M for driving the gear 62,

the armature shaft of the motor having a pinion 67 secured thereto which meshes with the gear wheel 62, as shown in Fig. 3. The frame 65 of the motor has the pole shoes'secured to opposite sides thereof. The

pole shoes68 are also secured to the core ofv a difi'erentiall wound field magnet 69. The positive an negative brushes of the motor are mounted in a suitable brush holder yoke 70. In order toprevent the motor from driving thegear wheel 62 at certainjiiimes in the operation of the apparatus and in order to prevent the operation of the feed screw, a sleeve 80 having the teeth '81 thereon isarranged to engage-the end of thegear wheel'62 in a'counter clockvwisedirection, viewing .Figs. 3 and 4, and permits the operation of the screw'34 by the motor only whenthe latter rotates in a clockwise direction as the end 82 of the plate 83 will ride over the projections 81 when the gear wheel 67 is driven in the proper direction. .The gear wheel 62, however, is prevented from rotatin in the op- 82 of the 'plate 83 Wlll engage the teeth 81 and lock posite direction, since the ,en

the same against rotation.

The two upright supports 71 and 72 are rigidly secured tothe base 10 intermediate- Tab provided with an opening 75 at its center through which the electrode 35 extends. The reflector 74 being permanently secured in osition has a fixedfocus, and in order to ring the arc to the proper point for a maximum reflection of the light the entire arc mechanism including the carbon stands ards on which the electrodes are mounted, the feed screw, the motor and its connection to operate the feed screw 33, are slidably adjustable, as the frame comprising .the yokes 16 and 17 and rods 20 and 21 is longitudinally adjustable on the rods'14; and 15 for a short distance.

Positive and negative terminal plates 85 and 86 are permanently secured to the base 10 near one longitudinal edge thereof, and each is provided with a tapering edge 87 to engage beneath a spring terminal contact permanently mounted on the casing within which the arc apparatus is located when. mounted on a locomotive or other vehicle. Handles 88 at the opposite edge are pro- .vided to slide the arc lamp into and out-of the casing, ledges 89 along the edge of the base fitting suitable corresponding grooves in the casing.

A wire 90 connects the positive terminal block 85 with the positive electrode 22, and a wire 91 connects the positive terminal 85 with the shunt field coil 98 of the motor M. The brush 93 of the motor M is connected to one terminal of the. motor field coil 96, by a wire 99, the other terminal of said coil being connected to the bipolar starting magnet 42, 43, by a wire 97. The negative electrode 35 is also connected to the common terminal screw 4:11 of the bipolar starting magnet by the standard 39 or in the diagram by the conductor 95. The brush 92 of the motor M is connected by'the conductor 100 to the negative terminal block 86.. When the circuit is open, the ends'of the two electrodes are in contact. On closing the circuit the magnet comprising the coils 42 and. 43 is energized, and the armature 40 to which the negative. electrode holder 36 is attached is drawn so as to'strike an are between the electrodes 22 and 35. As

the electrodes are consumed, the'voltage and I ,resistance of the arc gap increases, causing more current to flowthrough the field coil 98 which is woundof fine. high-resistance wire. An increased current will also flow through the armature of the motor M. The field coil" 96 is of heavier wire and of less resist- 1 ance, and the'field set up by the same normallyv opposes and balancesthe field set up magnetic braking. action of the by the field coil '98 so that the motor armature M will remain stationary when the arc electrodes are at the proper working distance or when the voltage at the arc is at a predetermin 5 value. The balanced condition of the fie d coils 96 and 98 is arranged by the proper adjustment of the resistances of the armature and fi'eld coils 96 and 98.

When the voltage of the arc rises up above a predetermined value or when the electrodes 22 and 35 separate to a greater extent, owing to the wearing away of the same, more current will traverse the high resistance coil 98 and motor armature M and cause an unbalanced resulting field which will effect the rotationof the motor armature and the operation of the feed screw 34 which feeds the electrodes toward one another the proper amount to effect a readjustment to the predetermined arc voltage and gap. The rotation of the gear wheel 62 with its eccentric 61 effects a reciprocation of the connecting rod 59, causing the pawl 58 to engage the ratchet teeth 57 and thereby rotating the screw shaft 34: which is mounted to rotate with the disk 55. The gear wheel 62 and the parts with which it is connected are prevented from -rotating in a clockwise direction by the end 82 of the stop plate 83 which is adapted to engage teeth 81 rigidly connected with the gear wheel 62.; consequently, the electrodes are moved only in one direction by the motor M.

It will-thus be understood that if the electrodes are se a'rated to an undesirably great extent the s unt field becomes abnormally excited and the motor will start and attain tinue to feed the electrodes the stop devices illustrated indetail in Fig. 4: are provided. The motor will then stop instantaneously but might otherwise reverse and bring electrode points together tightlly as the voltage increases and decreases wit a variation of the distance between the electrodes. The

important feature of the operation of the regulating mechanism.

-When it is desired trodes 22 and 35. for any reason the pawl 58 is lifted from en agement with thej'. i 125*." back so that the free end thereof will 1 toothed edge of the w eel-55 and thrown;

on the rod 59, a pin- 583 extending through.

the pawl near its free end for a sufiicient distance so that it will engage the rod 59- and suitably support the pawl. Thetoothed motor is an to separate the 'ele'c-J F lll ing mechanism so that the electrodes will ad- I Fall wheel 59 may then be rotated in the reverse direction, a handle 551 being provided on the outer face thereof for this purpose. By rotating-the toothed wheel in a counter clockwise direction, the iced screw 34: is turned so as to cause the simultaneous movementand separation of the standards 25 and 39 and the carbons 22 and 35, respectively. Even when the electrodes are in this position and the current is turned on, the motor M will immediately operate the teedvance toward each other and serves to maintain the electrodes at the proper distance apart. The motor might be termed a normally inactive and automatic differential magnetic bralre motor,

The operation of the mechanism will be clear from the iloregoin descri tion. The slidahle frame on whici the li orizontally disposed electrodes, motor and feeding mech-=.

anism are mounted may be moved horizontally so as to set the are at theproper point for a maximum reflection bythe reflector M- which latter is permanently mounted in an upright position intermediate the ends of the base or support 10. A small central opening 75 in the reflector 741- is the only portion oi the reflector which is incapable of reflecting the rays from the craterin' the electrode 22., The standard 2-5 and electrode 22 obstruct very little ol the li ht reflected,

power. its it is apparent that numerous changes may be made in the details of the apparatus without departing from the till SPlI'il) of the invention, 1 do not wish to be limited to the exact details, as shown and described.

Having thus fully described my invention, what ll claim is:

a 1. In an electric arc lamp, the combination of two relativelymovable electrodes, a

screw shaft adapted to effect relative movement between the electrodes, a normally inactive reversible electric motor included in a circuit with the electrodes and adapted to rotate said shaft, said motor being automatically rendered active to turn in one direction and rotate said shaft when the electrodes are separated a predetermined dis.-

tanceand the direction of rotation of the motor being automaticallg reversed when the electrodes are restore to proper relaincapaction, and means for checkin such reverse movement prior to its actuat ng the shaft.

2. In an electric arc lamp, the combination of two relatively movable electrodes, a

screw shaft adapted to effect relative movement between the electrodes, a normally inactive'reversible electric motor included in a circuit with the electrodes, a wheel geared to the motor and adapted to turn the shaft, the motor being automatically rendered activeto turn in one direction and rotate the shaft when the electrodes are separated a predetermined distance and the direction of rotation of the motor being automatically reversed when the electrodes are restored to normal relation, and a stop ex tending into the path oi teeth turning with said wheel to prevent rotation thereof in one direction, whereby the shaft will not be actuated when the motor is reversed.

3. In an electric arc lamp, the combination of two relatively movable electrodes, a screw adapted to ed'ect relative movement between the electrodes, a ratchet wheel secured to the shalt, a normally inactive reversible electric motor included in a circuit with the electrodes, a pawl cooperating with the ratchet wheel and adapted to be reciprocated by the motor, the latter being rendered active to turn in one direction when the electrodes are separated a predetermined distance and the direction of rotation of the motor bein I automatically reversed when the electroes are restored to proper relation, and a stop device adapted to prevent such reverse movement from edecting an actuation of the pawl suflicient to turn the ratchet wheel. 7

4L. lln an arc lamp, the combination of horizontally arran ed electrodes, independently movable stan ards for supporting said electrodes, a feed screw for moving said electrodes toward each other, and means for rotating said feed screw comprising a toothed wheel rotatable therewith, an electric motor normally inactive but adapted to be rendered active to rotate its armature and the shaft thereof when the voltage across the are between the electrodes increases above apredetermined value, and means including gearing between the motor armature shaft and said toothed wheel for operating said feed screw. f

5. In an arc lamp, the combi'? Anion of two electrode holders, electrodes carried by sa1d holders, means for separating said electrodes to strike an are between them, means for feedmg sald electrodestoward one another, sa1d means comprising an electric motor having a differentially wound field adapted to rotate the armature of the motor when the voltage between said electrodes reaches a predetermined value, .a ratchet wheel rota-v table in one direction only, a reciprocating member for actuating said ratchet wheel, a

device rotatable by said motor armature and adapted to reciprocate said member, and

' means to prevent said motor from rotating said when said device in one direction, whereb reciprocating member is only actuasaid difierentially wound field becomes unbalanced in one direction.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

Wimesses RAY P. DEARDORFF.

Amxnmm Comma,

HmuN

C. CLEVELAND. 

